Always Keep Fighting
by Bluebell67
Summary: Dean dreams of a world that is very different from his own. (spoilers for seasons 1-12)


The Bunker had never been more full.

"Uh… Rowena, can you share a room with Mary, Charlie, and Eileen?" Sam asked apologetically. Rowena sighed, nodding.

"Great. Okay. Cas, you good?"

"Yup. I'll be sitting out here with Crowley. Claire, Alex, and Jody have my room. You, Sam, Jack, and Mick are okay sharing, right? I know it's tight. Everyone else is going to be staying in the motel. Mrs. Tran and Kevin, Amara, Bobby and Rufus, Ellen and Jo, Garth and his family, they're all good. Pam, Adam, Anna, Ruby, Meg, Kelly, Frank, Max, Alicia, and Ash are gonna be further away, but we'll manage."

"I can't believe this is happening." Dean laughed. "I can't wait until we tell them."

"I'd love to know." Mick said. "I moved from England to live here, for you guys, and now I'm staying in a sleeping bag, in a room of four that's only supposed to fit one."

"I really wish I could tell you, but- but-" Dean stuttered. "M- m-"

"Are you okay, Dean?" Mick asked. Dean thought for a second, a sense of dread come over him. A thought ran through his mind 'If only Mick had talked to us first'. Dean blinked slowly, staring at Mick.

"Mick… the last time… we had a drinking game, and I got sick, then…"

"Yeah?"

"Then we met with Eileen, and Kelly…"

"Dean, are you-"

"Renny died, and-"

"How do you know Renny?"

"You were- you went to confront..."

"DEAN!" Mick yelled. Dean hit the ground. He felt Cas's hand on his arm. Everything went black. Dean woke up, sweating, in his room.

"Dean, are you okay?" Castiel asked, his hand on Dean's forehead. Dean nodded.

"What happened?"

"You scared Mick, then you fainted."

"I didn't faint, I passed out." Dean said grumpily. "And I'm fine. It's just… the stress of this project… it's been too much. Making sure everyone is okay, it's hard."

"What you were saying concerns Mick." Castiel said. "He told me that you said something about a guy from England, Renny, dying. You've never met Renny, and Mick has never mentioned him."

"It was probably just gibberish."

"Plus, Eileen and Kelly met for the first time this weekend. They've never met before."

"What? I could've… nevermind." Dean shook his head. "Tell Sam he gets to be in charge. I have to rest."

"I agree with you." Castiel said. "Get rest."

"Okay, yay! We're all here!" Sam said over the microphone. He received a smatter of applause. "You were wondering what the big deal is? You're standing in the middle of it. Lebanon is the first safe city in the world. Whats a safe city? It's been heavily warded and protected by our team- Toni, Rowena, Delphine, Missouri, Charlie, Billie, and me. Without permission, no monster, demon, or angel can enter this city. Even better- we're opening a hunting school right here. The Bunker will soon be a fully operational school, for hunters who want to learn. We also have the largest library on monsters, archangels, angels, demons- in existence. We are moving to the future of hunting- reducing the amount of deaths in the hunting field, making it safer out there. We want to save people like us, like Claire Novak, like Alex Mills, before it's too late. We want to prevent deaths. And we will do it justly, fairly, with knowledge. We can save lives. Hunter lives, civilian lives. Welcome to the future."

The crowd applauded. Amara hugged Dean awkwardly.

"Great job, Dean. We knew you could do it." She said. "Sorry that my brother never showed. He would be proud."

"Thank you, Amara." Dean smiled. He looked up at the stage at Sam, who was talking about the new buildings with Crowley. They seemed to be agreeing on something, maybe that Crowley would find someone to build a school. Dean turned to Henry.

"Hey…" He said.

"Dean, I'm so proud of you." He said. Dean frowned, noticing how young Henry looked. He should be older… but he wasn't a day older than Dean. Dean suddenly saw Henry in Sam's arms, blood everywhere. He was saying something, smiling painfully. I know I would've been proud of him.

Dean stumbled away, trying to breathe. He saw a grave… Henry Winchester… he suddenly remembered Emma's death too, a gunshot, the echoing bang. Then a store exploding, up in flames. He bumped into Benny.

"Whoah, brother-" Benny said, concerned.

"Benny? No, no, no." Dean muttered. Toni, no she's right there, in the Bunker- no. Meg? Kevin… Dean's vision blurred, on the ground again. He could hear Charlie's voice.

"Hey Jack, go get your uncle, okay? Dean fainted again."

"Charlie?"

"I'm right here, Dean."

"Charlie? No, no, no." Dean muttered. "Charlie, get up."

"You'll be alright, Dean."

Once again, Dean woke up in his room. This time there was three people. Amara, Rowena, and Castiel sat by the bed. Rowena and Amara were talking quietly.

"Guys?"

"Dean, how do you feel?"

"Like… my heads gonna explode, Cas."

"We confirmed it's not witchcraft, it's not demonic, and it's not angelic. You're not sick from any human disease." Rowena said. "We can't diagnose anything, so we can't help."

"It's fine. You guys can leave. I'm good." Dean said. He felt like he was regaining clarity.

"Just stay in bed." Castiel said, frowning. "I've got to calm down my kid. Rowena, come with me? Let's leave Dean alone."

Cas's hand brushed with Dean, and Dean suddenly felt like he was going to throw up. He stared at Cas, who was leaving. There was something so wrong.

"I'll stay." Amara said. Dean found it weird that she was one of the only people who wasn't upsetting him. Why would he get sick at the touch of Castiel, Gabriel, Rowena, or Benny, but not at Amara? Maybe… all the visions he had seen… maybe they were real.

"I think… I'm sick from grief, Amara." Dean said. She smiled understandably.

"You figured it out, then?"

"This is all in my head. I made this up?" Dean asked, his voice shaking. Amara nodded sadly. She sighed.

"I'm so sorry Dean."

"I'm not ready to go back yet." Dean said.

"You created ghosts in your head, and you made a world that didn't exist so you didn't have to feel the pain… but there are still people out there, out of your head. Sam needs you."

"I don't want to go back yet."

"Why did you chose me to help you?" She asked.

"B- because you're… you're like a friend… and you'll never really leave me. I can still feel your presence, even if I never say it. You can't die. You're… a part of me."

"And so is everyone else here. Never let go of them, Dean, but you have to keep breathing, keep moving, keep living. This world doesn't need you. You need to be there for Sam, for Jack, even. You need to rescue your mother. You can't be here forever."

"But what if… what if I did?"

"You would die." Amara said. "Your heart would stop eventually and you would go to Heaven. You have an entire world to yourself there. Chuck granted you permission to Harvelle's Roadhouse if you want it. You'll be reunited with some old friends of yours."

"And if I wake up?"

"I don't know. The future is so uncertain." She said. "So… die of grief or keep fighting. It's your choice."

"Can I see everyone one last time?" Dean asked. Amara smiled. He ran out the door to his friends. He told them things he never got to say, told them sorry, that they deserved better, that he loved them, that he missed them. Amara stood in the doorway, smiling sadly. He hugged Rowena, telling her that he remembered her story, and every single thing he said, he meant. He meant that she was his friend. Dean finally turned to Crowley and Castiel.

"Honestly- thank you. We'll all miss you." Dean said, his voice breaking. "Um… Sam told me that story about you in the church. You asked him where to start to look for forgiveness. Well, I'd like you to know, you found it. You are forgiven."

"Bye, Dean." Crowley smiled, tears in his eyes.

"Bye, Crowley." Dean struggled back. Crowley faded into light. The only people left were Cas, and behind Dean, the survivors. Donna, Mary, Jody, Alex, Claire, Sam, Max, Alicia, and Jack… all of the people who Dean would see when he woke up.

"Dean…"

"I… I haven't been able to let something go. Back in that barn, you said you loved me. I was frozen, and I never said 'I love you' back. Well, I love you, Cas."

"I love you too, Dean."

"Claire said something, a while ago. A few years, but it stuck with me. Death isn't always goodbye, or something, so goodbyes aren't always forever."

"I'll see you again, Dean." Cas smiled. He turned into light. Dean turned to the survivors. He looked to Amara for support.

"Always keep fighting." She said. Dean took a step forward, and found himself waking up, uncertain of the future, but knowing that he had to be strong.


End file.
